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Project Basics

ARENA Program

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Summary

With up to $10 million of funding from ARENA, TasNetworks is investigating how further Bass Strait interconnection might form a key part of Australia’s future electricity and telecommunications grid.

Interconnection between Tasmania and the rest of Australia could unlock further dispatchable hydro electricity and enable pumped hydro energy storage and significant wind generation opportunities. Such potential could see an abundance of low cost, reliable and clean energy moving between Tasmania and Victoria, helping the National Electricity Market (NEM) transition to a low carbon future.

Need

The National Electricity Market (NEM) is undergoing significant transition. Wind and solar development is increasing but is variable in nature which creates power system stability and reliability challenges. As more wind and solar comes into the market, it is critical that generation types (like hydroelectricity, pumped hydro energy storage and gas) are in place to support system stability and ensure reliable supply to keep the lights on. Interconnection does and will increasingly play a major role to meet the needs of a future Australian power system. In Tasmania, increased transmission capacity (in the order of 600-1200MW) from Marinus Link could unlock more low cost, reliable and clean energy.

Benefits

Supports low cost, reliable and clean electricity

Could ‘firm-up’ existing and new wind and solar generation by providing readily available hydroelectric power and further pumped hydro energy storage from Tasmania

Strengthens security and stability of the network, with modern interconnector technology

In summer, Victoria requires more energy than in winter; it’s the opposite in Tasmania. So each region can better support the other, by exporting their excess energy

Spreads the risk of relying upon a single electricity link between Tasmania and Victoria